Scoops are widely used to transfer materials from one container to another. Typically, a scoop is used to transfer food, ice or other free flowing, granular, or cubed materials from a larger vessel to a smaller vessel, e.g., from a main storage bin or a bucket to smaller storage or dispensing vessels. One such use includes placing a desired quantity of ice cubes in a glass or cup from a larger storage vessel such as an ice bin or bucket. However, most scoops used in this process are not ergonomically designed, present the potential for inadvertent contamination of ice due to undesired contact of the ice or the scoop with adjacent structures and/or the hands of the user, inefficiently transfer the scooped material resulting in spillage, and can be ill-equipped to maximize the volume of material conveyed per scoop.
Another consideration unique to ice scoop constructions is the ability to maximize the transfer of ice while limiting the transfer of liquid water from bulk ice containers to individual glasses or cups. Particularly in banquet type activities, large containers or bins of ice can be placed in the banquet environment such that servers can serve individual guests during a particular event or so that guests can serve themselves. Such bins are frequently uncooled and uninsulated such that a portion of the ice can melt prior to use leaving the remaining ice surrounded by liquid water. Use of conventional solid bodied scoops requires servers to drain the ice with each dispensing activity to prevent the transfer of liquid water with each dispensing event.
As can be seen, current scoops suffer from certain drawbacks and limitations. Accordingly, a need exists for scoops that are ergonomically designed, limit or reduce contamination of the bulk ice as well as the scoop, efficiently transfer the scooped material to minimize spillage and maximize the volume of material conveyed per scoop, facilitate efficient separation of the ice from liquid water associated with the bulk container, and solve other problems associated with the existing designs.